Type-writer shift-key mechanism.



PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.- M. S. GUMNER. TYPE WRITER SHIFT KEY MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1906.

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PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.

M. s. GUMNER. TYPE WRITER SHIFT KEY MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 1, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5 AR, elk/M Why/kw?- PATBNTED DEC. 17, 1907.

M. s. SUMNER. TYPE WRITER SHIFT KEY MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SEEHT 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

TYPE-WRITER SHIFT-KEY MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1907.

Application filed November 1, 1906- Serial No. 341.514.

T 0 all whom *itmwy concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW S. CUMNER, residing in the city of Greater New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Imp ovements in Type-Writer Shift-Key Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention in typewriter shift-key mechanism relates to a means for shifting the carriage, carrying the platen of typewriter ma-' chines and has particular reference to ameans for locking the shifting device and its co-acting parts, whereby the platen will be fixed in a position given to it, by the operator.

t has also reference to an inter-locking device, co-acting with the shifting lever, whereby the platen, together with the shift lever may be released, whereupon the latter will resume its normal operating position.

' specification, relative thereto and the dis-.

The object of my invention is to provide a more simple and effective means of making a rapid change from the upper to the lower case letters by the shifting platen of typewriting machines, than by those in vogue and previous'to my invention, in so far as I am at present aware.

The features characteristic of my inven tion, whereby I am enabled to attain the. object thereof, are illustrated in the drawings hereto attached, which form part of this specification, and described in the appended tinct features of novelty are finally alluded to in the claims, all of which constitute the specification.

Hitherto and prior to my invention, a variety of devices for effecting the shift of the printing point or position of the platen has been in vogue, among which, levers of both the first and second order, pivoted to the frame-work of the writing machine were employed to move the carriage, either in a plane or in an are, from a fixed radius, which usually effected the movement of the platen,

by a single lever, which was under the control of the operator, butrequired to be locked into a fixed position, in order to retain the carriage, carrying the platen in its adjusted position, by a locking device, connected with the frame-work of the machine at some convenient point, within the range of the-mechanism. Another class of shirt-key devices, wherein two keys on the keyboard were connected with the shifting lever, whereby upon the depression of one of them the platen was of the other, the shifting mechanism was unlocked. and the platen released, was also in vogue, and it is to this latter class that my invention has particular reference.

With reference to the drawings :Figure 1, is a' side elevational view of my invention, illustrating one form of my improved shiftkey mechanism, as applied to a roller bearing platen carriage, adapted to move in a plane at an angle to the plane of the base of the machine. It also illustrates one of the means for adjusting certain portions of the locking mechanism; and Fig. 2, is a similar view, to that of Fig. 1, illustrating my invention as applied to a pivoted swinging platen and in this figure, I have illustrated another means of adjusting the position of the locking device. Fig. 3, is an enlarged, side elevational detailed view, of my invention, illustrating the shift-key and locking device and a portion of the framework of the typewriting machine to which the same is attached. In these figures similar characters of reference are employed to indicate, identical parts, throughout, wherein,

A indicates a side frame of a typewriting machine, the view being taken in longitudinal section, to which is pivoted the shifting lever 2 which lever is swung in bearing relation on a stud 3 A represents the platen, which as is customary, is mounted in bearings, depending from the carriage A! in a well-known manner. The depression of the shift lever 2 at one extremity, the same being of the first order, effects a movement of the free end 4* of the lever in a reversed direction, which moves the carriage A into a position indicated by the broken lines.

In Fig. 1, I have shown a modification in the construction of a carriage,.whioh requires a somewhat different movement than that illustrated in Fig. 2, and in order to effect the movement of the carriage in this figure, into the position of that, as indicated by the broken lines, I introduce a second bell crank lever 5- pivoted to the frame-work on a stud 6". The arms of this lever are so disposed, that one of them 7" impinges against the face A of the carriage, while the other arm 6 bears upon the free end 4 of the shift lever. The position of the shift lever 2- and its coacting parts, when in their normal position are represented by the full lines of the draw- 5 ing, while the broken lines indicate the change slufted and locked and upon the depression l in posit1on,wl1en the shift lever? is depressed.

2 Y sva zso means for locking the shift lever 2 when itis in the depressed positionfonthat position in:

dicated by the broken lines and also tojfthe means for releasing the same, I haveniore particularly elucidated the docking mech anism. L '1 The principal parts of the locking mechsln ism are the locking leverB, which 18 'voted at 2 to the o crating extremity of t eshift crumin'g stud B With regard to the lock lever B,'the two keys or buttons L andS re spectively, the lock and shift keys, are tsecured at substantially equal distances from pivot 2 to the u per edge of the levenso as to alternate in t eir action u on the lever-B in a manner, whereby upon t the key L, the lever B will 0 erate as one of the first order and upon the epression of'the key S the action is reversed, whereu on the lever b will become one of the secon order.

The free and operating extremity 3 of the H lever B is pivoted to the shank-B of the link 3?. The firlcrurning stud B is secured tothe side frame A of the writing machine, so

'as to have a sliding engagement in thelink B. In the drawings, 1 have-indicated, this link as being forked or open at the u i i ex-.

tremity for the convenience of assem '0 Upon the depression of the key S, the t lever 2 will be borne down into the positionindicated by the broken line as aforesaid and will carry with it, the locking lever B by virtue of the pivotal action 2, thus the locking lever and link will be brought into a position as indicated by the broken lines and the link B will have moved upon the fulcruming stud B from the lower extremity to the upper extremity thereof and will assume a position more ap roximately perpendicular than when in t e position as indicated by the full lines. Upon the release of the keyS, the shift-lever 2 will be returned to the normal position or that indicated by theiul-l lines by the over counter-balancing weight of the car' riage and therefore key S serves merely the purpose of a shift and not a lock. Upon the depression of the key L, the position of the lock lever will be reversed and-the free end 3 will be moved into the reversed position,

, which will swing the link B likewise in the o posite direction to the former position, or t at position which it assumed u on the de ression of the key S. The position of the ulcruming stud B, has such relation. with the link B that the axis of centers will be in the same straight line, This alinement is in k B and the adjustable ful e depression of (heated by the position of the key L as indicated by the broken lines. the lever axis co-incident and will therefore be on dead centers and therefore the shift lever 2 will be locked by. the brace, thus resented bythe alinement of the link B an .the lock lever B,lwhich will resist the counter-balancisrgfefi'ect of the carriage A in the manner aforesaid, and therefore the same will be per- .-manently shifted into aposition as indicated by the broken lines, until the key S is depressed and breaks the knuckle of-the brace [in a manner described and permits the counter-balancing effect of the carriage to once more return the shift key into its normal poition.

shown this fulcrumin stud E mounted on an adjustable plate 13, secured to. the side frameA by screws, as illustrated m Fig. 2. It is ob. 'ous howeventhat this adjustment ners.

I am aware that prior to my invention, typewriter shlft key mechanism, rovided shift lever, have been 1n ve ue, and I therefore do not claim this broadly as my invention, the spirit ofthe invention lying rather in the lock itself and its co-relation with the kegs and the shift-lever.

' do claim-as new, however, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In an. inter-locking device for shiftkeys of the character described and in combination with the shift lover, a brace carried thereby and pivotally secured thereto, means for locking the brace at one extremity there of, and remote from the pivot and means carried by the brace oppositely situated from the'former, with respect to the pivot for collapsing the brace.

2. In an inter-locking device for shift keys of the character described and in combination with the shift lever, a brace, pivotally secured to the operatin extremity of said lever, means for'locking t e brace atone extremity thereof, and remote from the pivot and means co-acting by the brace, oppositely situated from the former with respect to the pivot for collapsing the brace.

3.111 a shift key mechanism of the characterdescribed, the combination With the shift lever of a lock, pivotally secured thereto, and a fixed point on the frame-work, comprising a brace, an operating key, co actingwith the brace, to move the same into a locg position,'and a second operating In this position, B and the link B will have their it ne the lever B with the link B2 so as maybe efiiected in many well-known manwith inter-locking devices, operate by the key,.co-acti ng with the brace, to move the same into an unlocking position.

4. In a typewriter shift key mechanism the character described," the combination 6 with the frame-work and a stud carried thereby and a shift lever and a lock,- pivotally secured thereto,- and to a fixed polnt on the frame Work, comprising a brace, having a knuckle and an operating key, carried .by

10 the brace to move the same into a locking osition and a second 0 crating key, carried y the brace to move t e same into an 1111- locking position.

' 5. In a shift key mechanism of the charact-er described, the combination withthe. frame work and the shift lever of a lock, 00-

acting between the frame work and the shift lever consisting of a pivoted lever secured to and carried by said shift key-lever and a second lever carried by the frame work co-acting therewith, said lock constituting a brace between the. said shift key lever and thesaid frame, an operating key carried by the said brace for erecting the same, and a second operating key carried bythe'said brace for collapsing. the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MATTHEW S. CUMNER. Witnesses:

PHILIP K. STERN, F. W. GEISSENHAINER, Sr 

